


The One Where Emrys Sighs

by RayneSummer



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, inspired by that Friends episode, is this crack idk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:21:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24389587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RayneSummer/pseuds/RayneSummer
Summary: Arthur is arguing, Merlin gets punched, and Gwaine has no question about his loyalty.
Relationships: Gaius & Merlin (Merlin), Gwaine & Merlin (Merlin), Gwen & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Kudos: 152





	The One Where Emrys Sighs

**Author's Note:**

> I was thinking of this episode of Friends and this had to happen,, I --

Merlin was mad at Arthur.

That in itself wasn't unusual; the two seemed to constantly find any excuse to be annoyed with each other, from picking the wrong princely clothes to throwing things at the servant. But this time, all the knights agreed as they watched Merlin pour wine into Arthur's goblet in the most passive aggressive way one could, it was odd.

Because Arthur seemed to agree with the anger. But also didn't want to apologise for it, or didn't think he needed to, at any rate.

Gwaine and Lancelot - the former more amused than anything - settled for trying to talk to Merlin, while Elyan and Percival opted to see what insight Arthur would offer. Leon had refused to get involved, citing that it was none of his or indeed any of their business to interfere with the prince's affairs. But all the same, he went and told on them to Gwen when it seemed the knights were not backing down. Unfortunately for Sir Leon, Gwen was interested and encouraged their pursuit of the situation, too busy to do it herself.

So that was how Gwaine found himself watching the following scene in Arthur's chambers one morning.

"Fine, but I've to say, I don't think I did anything wrong!"

Merlin turned incredulously from where he was about to follow Gwaine out the door to instead give Arthur a incredulous look that even the Prince of Camelot wiltered slightly under. He stepped towards said prince who bravely did not step back. Facing Merlin's wrath seemed worse than staring down death constantly, it seemed.

"You didn't do anything wrong?"

"I said I didn't think I did," Arthur countered, moving back just an inch. Merlin shook his head.

They just stared at each other for a moment until even Gwaine felt awkward. Which was really saying something, considering the knight's usual pursuits involved countless tales of lewd stories, most of which were a little more fabricated than the truth, that he relentlessly recalled to anyone who would stay still for a minute and needed lightening up. George was one of his favourite victims; the uptight servant flushing a hilarious red when Gwaine tried to begin another bar saga.

Merlin moved first, stepped back still with Arthur's armour in hand. "You know what, I'm just going to go," he said pointedly, and made to turn. But Arthur lunged forward and grabbed at the armour with the agility and speed of fighting.

Gwaine rose an eyebrow.

"Oh, come on. You've got to get past this." Arthur seemed determined to sign his death warrant over to his fuming servant at this point, and moved the armour out of reach again. "I've said it was stupid, there's nothing else to do--"

"Arthur--"

"You know, you should... yell at me or hit me or something." Yes, this was definitely extremely strange, Gwaine mused, even by their standards. Arthur was usually the one hitting Merlin (though now seriously) and would never offer the same back. Interesting.

The servant snorted. "Right, so you can throw me in the dungeons or the stocks?" He rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to hit you."

"Why not? You'll feel better." Maybe. "I'll feel better." Even less likely. "And I know you want to, I can see it in your eyes."

Merlin narrowed his eyes. Arthur looked quite earnest, despite it sounding like their first meetings, but it was still a ridiculous notion. The prince might not condemn him for a punch but the king might, regardless if it had been offered.

It did make sense though; Arthur was a knight, and knights were thick and got out their emotions through violence. Still, he'd never straight up asked Merlin to hit him - and the servant would have been listening in a second if it had. Usually the offer to punch him in the face was fanciful subtext when he talked.

"No, I don't. Give me the armour." Merlin reached out only for Arthur and back away with the item in question, shaking his head. Gwaine watched in amusement as Arthur backed himself against a wall with Merlin advancing on him in an almost comedic fashion.

Arthur continued goading, the only way to get what he wanted most of the time. "Do it, come on!" His back hit the wall and he raised an eyebrow as Merlin seemed to reach the end of his tether and drew back a fist.

Merlin punched and Arthur ducked. His fist connected to the wall with a sickening _crunch_ and Gwaine's jaw dropped. The boy had a lot of strength apparently.

Slowly, Arthur straightened up, looking hesitantly as Merlin's expression switched from anger to silent agony. He cradled his injured hand with the other and shot Gwaine a look, who couldn't help a grin spread across his face at the sheer ludicrousness of the situation. Merlin shook his head slightly, disbelieving the knight's initial reaction, and looked back at Arthur in incredulousness. 

"You ducked!"

"It was reflex!"

That was fair, Gwaine considered. Even if he'd offered someone to hit him, he'd still duck. They were fighters, after all.

Merlin was less impressed. "What the hell!" He hissed in pain as he tried to shake the injured limb. He glared at Arthur again, accusingly, "This really hurts!"

Arthur frowned slightly in concern but seemed determined to stand his point. "I couldn't help it," he argued, approaching the servant with some hesitance. "When someone comes at your face, you duck! Look,"

And before Gwaine could move, Arthur full on punched Merlin, who, of course, did not duck.

"What is the matter with you?!" Merlin exclaimed, gentle touching what would soon be a black eye. To his credit, Arthur finally looked somewhat abashed, but pride would not allow him to back down.

"You were supposed to duck!" He argued again, gesturing wildly to prove his point. "Why didn't you duck?!" Gwaine eventually decided to step forward, though he wasn't sure exactly what he could or should do. I wasn't odd for Arthur to end up minorly hurting Merlin accidently, but this was a bit much.

Merlin just stared, nonplussed.

"I'm going to Gaius," he said, and turned around without another word.

Arthur glanced at the forgotten armour on the floor. "Good, good, yes," he shouted after the servant, bending to retrieve his own things for once, and retorted, "Maybe while you're there, he can check your reflexes!"

* * *

Gaius wasn't impressed.

"What were you two even arguing about?" He asked with a sigh as he flexed the fingers of Merlin's injured hand, ignoring the hiss of pain.

The boy shrugged, looking faintly annoyed. "It doesn't even matter any more," he muttered, frowning as the physician moved his thumb and agony flared for a second. "Ow!" Gaius glanced up to gauge the reaction and Merlin had the grace to look sheepish in the face of mild concern. "Just, you know, he's being a prat. The usual."

Gaius hummed noncommittedly and covered the injured hand with both his own, grip firm but gentle as he checked for anything fractured or untoward. After a moment, he withdrew and eyed his ward's face, expression softening at the clear lines of pain as he just as gently touched the forming bruise next to an eye. Merlin flinched with pain but otherwise remained obediently still, subjecting himself to the ministrations.

"Well, you had better put it behind you before you injure yourself further," Gaius concluded with only mild severity. He stood up from sitting beside Merlin on the bench, but held out a hand when the boy tried to do the same. "No, stay there and spread out your fingers. Your thumb might be broken. Hold still while I splint and wrap it," he said firmly in his strict physician voice.

"His thumb?" They both looked up to see Gwaine standing in the doorway, a bemused frown on his face. He glanced at his own hand then back at Merlin. "That's strange."

Gaius moved off to collect the medical supplies as Gwaine approached Merlin who did not look impressed.

He sat down beside Merlin, looking at his swollen hand. "Are you sure you're punching right? Make a fist." Merlin just stared at him, and Gwaine realised and conceded. He shrugged, an apologetic smile on his face. "Maybe later," he agreed, grin widening as Merlin shook his head and looked away.

"Anyway, I feel kind of bad for just standing and watching, but it was extremely funny to see your confrontation." Gwaine chuckled and shook his head, ignoring Merlin's incredulous look.

"Wow. Thanks."

"Oh, come on. You're fine. I'll teach you how to fight properly in case you want to kick the princess up the bum later," he said cheerfully, leaning back as Gaius returned to the bench - shooting Gwaine an unimpressed look at the offer - and took Merlin's hand again to wrap it, shushing mutterings.

Merlin winced through the treatment, beginning to look more miserable than annoyed as anger faded and pain took its place.

Frankly, even he could barely remember what their original argument had been about. Arthur may have improved and been less of prat in the years since Merlin had arrived - and the warlock dreaded to think what on earth the prince could have been like if he was worse than he was now - but he was still frustrating to deal with sometimes. This was the first time he'd conceded though, even if it had ended up with Merlin being hurt regardless. Their relationship was always at odds and ends, ready to die for one another but just as perfectly willing to hit if the situation called for it, and even if it didn't.

This wasn't the first bruise he'd gotten from Arthur, and certainly wouldn't be the last, at any rate.

Gaius finished bandaging and shuffled off for a moment, returning to gently tip Merlin's face up, the boy squinting at the evening light filtering in through the window. Gaius studied him for a moment, then sighed and patted his shoulder with one hand, offering a small cup with the other.

"Here. It'll help with the pain. Drink it and try not to use that hand for a few days at least." 

The first part was strikingly familiar, the same words having been used after the first interaction between servant and prince. As he had then, Merlin took the medicine numbly and swallowed it with only the slightest expression of distaste before handing the cup back wordlessly. 

Gwaine had been silent beside him and was watching with a frown. With Merlin, quietness was always more worrisome than complaints.

He paused. "I can go and punch him for you?"

Merlin immediately shook his head and Gaius said severely, "Gwaine." He didn't not like the foolhardy knight, after all the man had set down many times that his main loyalty was to Merlin, not the kingdom, but that didn't mean Gaius had to like the tendency towards violence.

Gwaine just shrugged, though his expression was a little dark. Accident or not, he wasn't appreciative of even the prince hurting the servant.

Gaius sighed and retreated a little to serve the dinner he'd been heating before Merlin had walked into the room in a flurry of pain and anger. It had been a little alarming and it was only when he got the boy to sit and calm down, examining the state of him, before worry could get away and come up with all the awful things that could have happened.

By the time Gwaine had engaged Merlin in light conversation before leaving, satisfied that he would be alright, Gaius pushed the bowl of stew towards his ward as he sat down opposite, watching sternly until Merlin picked up a spoon with his uninjured hand - which was unfortunately the less dominant since one usually attacks with the stronger and more in control of the two - and shoved a spoonful of food into his mouth, though that did little to ease the physician's persistent worry. 

Then the door practically burst open and both occupants looked up in surprise as Gwen hurried into the room and spotted them.

"Merlin! What happened to you?!" She admonished, approaching the table to look closer at her friend's bandaged hand without disturbing the injury. Merlin gave a weak chuckle and smiled with a shrug, gesturing to his hand to try and indicate it was fine.

"I had a little... thing, with Arthur," he alluded, hoping Gwen would take it as a fight rather than punching a wall. "If you think this is bad, you should see him," he added, ignoring Gaius' eyebrow.

She sighed and looked to the ceiling as though searching for patience. "Merlin, you and Arthur have got to get over this," she said firmly, sitting down beside him on the bench and taking his uninjured hand. "I don't care how. I'll speak to him, and see if the knights know anything."

Merlin frowned at her. "What would they know?" Gwen waved a hand as though that wasn't important.

"They were trying to find if something had happened, it doesn't matter," she said hastily, not having meant to give away the others' interest in the situation. "Anyway, I've got to go, I just wanted to check in after Gwaine told me what happened." She patted his hand and stood up again, turning to the door before glancing back, ignoring Merlin's bemused expression. "Gaius, did you need anything?" She asked, as kind as ever.

Gaius smiled. "No, but thank you, Gwen," he replied just as kindly. Gwen nodded and looked back to Merlin.

"I mean it. Talk to him. No one wants to see you hurt," She said quietly but with meaning. Slightly taken aback, he just nodded, and Gwen took that as an affirmative before hurrying out as quickly as she'd come in. Preparations for another kingdom were underway and without being a maidservant any more, the girl had taken it upon herself to organise much of the festivities.

Merlin glanced at Gaius in some surprise, but the physician regarded him with an important look. One that said _she's right, you know._

He just nodded, hoping that was enough, and gave the half eaten bowl of stew a thoughtful stir.

* * *

A day later, the prince and servant were practically back to normal, with most castle citizens none the wiser.

When Gwaine popped in to Arthur's chambers to see the two discussing something over the table, he sauntered over, just to gauge the situation.

"Gwaine," Arthur said immediately on noticing the knight. "See, alright, what would you do if I did this--"

He swung his fist and Gwaine ducked and Merlin didn't, knuckles catching him for the second time and pushing him off his feet. He struggled to his feet, giving Arthur another incredulous look. He was getting good at them.

Arthur opened his mouth and without a word, Gwaine decked him.

The three didn't speak of punching again.

**Author's Note:**

> This got a tad angsty near the end idk  
> I don't know what I'm doing but I just remembered the Friends episode The One Where Emma Cries today and this had to be written,, idk  
> what are endings will we ever know  
> I don't own any actual quotes from the episode obv  
> pls and thank


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